A buffalo USB speaker? Really? Someone thought this was a good idea? How’s about a completely unlicensed Mickey Multifunction Webcam? You know, for doing lots of random crap, just not very well. Or what about an MP3 pen that helps you learn Mandarin? Yeah, ’cause that’s totally beneficial in more than three locations on Planet Earth. Or, if you’re still not sold, how’s about a USB bamboo fountain that’ll be a surefire catalyst for adding mold and mildew to any room? Believe it or not, all of these are real products that you can exchange hard-earned dollars for, though obviously we wouldn’t recommend it. Cast your vote below for the most jaw-dropping of all.

Read - Buffalo USB Speaker
Read - MP3 Pen
Read - USB Bamboo Fountain
Read - Mickey Webcam

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Crapgadget: “Wow… just, wow” edition originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Mar 2009 07:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our Panda-like obsession with bamboo is really paying off of late, what with the hundreds of bamboo ASUS laptops scattered around the Engadget HQ, the few dozen cubicles we’ve built out of Dell Studio Hybrid sleeves, and now this complete line of bamboo peripherals from Micro Innovations. Sure, they’re ugly and a little low on tech — the speakers, card reader, webcam, USB hub, keyboard and mouse couldn’t be any more generic in specifications — and as far as we can tell there’s nothing particularly “green” about the typical-seeming internals, but apparently the (undisclosed) pricing is right. Most of this stuff should be available through your electronics retailer of choice in April or May.

Filed under: Peripherals

Micro Innovations’s bamboo lineup might just save the world… from generic computer peripherals originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Laptops

Whether counting its 23 Eee PCs or 50 plus models of traditional laptops, ASUS isn’t exactly known for its frugality. So seeing yet another press release touting the launch of its bamboo — a renewable material with immense tensile strength rivaling that of many metal alloys — laptops shouldn’t be a surprise. What’s new here, perhaps, is the detail. Now in mass production, these partially biodegradable laptops come with either 11.1- or 12.1-inch, 1,280 x 768 pixel displays, your choice of 3/6/9-cell batteries, and ASUS’ Super Hybrid Engine allowing you to dial down the power when the wails of the Arctic penguins become too much to bear. The 12.1-incher is the relative powerhouse of the pair offering Vista a ride atop your choice of Intel T9400/P8600/P8400 Core 2 Duo processors, 256MB of NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS graphics, a 320GB hybrid hard drive sporting 256MB of flash, and Intel’s WiMAX / WiFi Link 5100 chipset. Pricing? Sorry, we’ll likely have to wait for another press release for that detail.

[Via The Inquirer]

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Filed under: Storage

Not that we haven’t seen bamboo-based gizmos before, but there’s something about SimpleTech’s [re]drive that just screams upscale. This elegant, smooth looking external HDD was crafted to be easy on the eyes and Mother Earth alike, with the outfit utilizing “renewable, naturally grown bamboo and recyclable aluminum” along with an Energy Star power adapter and eco-friendly packaging. You’ll also find a USB 2.0 jack, automatic power up / down and 500GB of internal storage space. Not too shabby for an estimated $150.

[Via Wired]

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Filed under: Desktops

Remember that tidy little bamboo-encased mini PC Dell showed off in April? Well apparently the company is at work on a variant of the diminutive system, dubbed the Studio Hybrid. In addition to forgoing the eco-friendly wood for what appears to be a sleek, orange Plexiglas shell, the system boasts an Intel chipset, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, WiFi, a DVD+R drive, five USB ports, an HDMI port, S/PDIF, DVI, and a memory card reader. We’re not sure exactly when Dell plans to unleash these on consumers or what the final cost will be, though previously the company had stated plans to offer it later this year for between $500 and $700. Check the gallery below for a few more (blurry) shots of the device.

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Finally, after kicking its bamboo laptops around trade shows for more than a year, Asus is set to roll out the eco-themed lappies in June. No details were provided except a rough price of about $1,650 for the 11-inch S6 and 12-inch U6. Really though, does it matter what’s inside? It’ll look great at the local cafe propped-up conspicuously next to your organic, Free Trade coffee harvested by newly white-collared neo-peasants.

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Filed under: Desktops

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/hardware/Dell_introduces_tiny_bamboo_covered_green_PC’; Michael Dell spoke at Fortune’s Brainstorm:Green conference today, and he took the wraps off this funky bamboo-encased eco-PC concept. Said to be Dell’s smallest-ever computer, the machine is 81 percent smaller than a standard desktop and uses 70 percent less power. There’s no word on what’s inside yet, but Dell says the machine is due to be released later this year, and should cost between $500 and $700. Hit the read link for a couple more shots, and check out a render after the break.

Continue reading Dell unveils tiny bamboo-cased eco-computer concept

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Filed under: Laptops

In case you weren’t aware, ASUS has a little bit of thing for bamboo, and its passionate displays of affection were unapologetic at CeBIT this year in Germany. The company was showing off a number product concepts on the show, as seen above, and while little info was given on specs or releases, they certainly seem to be a sign of things to come. We’re actually a bit more excited about that Essentio 5110 bamboo desktop than the various laptops, but, as demonstrated by the EcoBook, ASUS is probably going to be pushing this mostly in a laptop direction.

[Via Crave]

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Filed under: Peripherals

We have little choice but to take Joey Roth’s word for it, but we’ve got our reservations about this one. The so-called Felt Mouse forgoes the typical dome shape that most mice made this millennium share in favor of a totally blockish — and likely uncomfortable — design. Conceptually, at least, the critter is indeed wireless, and while you will notice a right and left click, you can forget about finding one of those fancy “scroll wheel” contraptions. The unit is said to be constructed primarily from “natural wool felt and laminated bamboo ply,” and the former will apparently conform to your hand when you grab hold. Check out the underbelly after the jump — we promise carpal tunnel syndrome can’t be contracted visually.

[Via YankoDesign]

Continue reading Felt Mouse puts a different spin on ergonomics

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